How to sharpen skates at home. Using a skate sharpener Manual skate sharpening

- hard work that requires not only practical skills, but also theoretical knowledge about skating. A dull blade causes reduced speed, losses and injuries. True professionals know how to handle a tool using the right technology.

To sharpen yourself, you will need an electric or manual device. When using skates rarely, a needle file is used, which is installed on a block of wood. It is much more convenient to use a drill or grinder. Before processing, it is necessary to inspect the blade in cross section, because a blunt blade has the shape of the letter “P”, while a sharp one is represented by the letter “M”.

Sharpening with a file and a vice

This is the easiest way to update yourself. To work you will need:

• sandpaper;
• vice;
• a block of wood with a longitudinal passage and U-shaped type, suitable for the width of the sharp edge;
• round needle file of a certain diameter.

The products are placed in a vice, the blade is sanded to remove rust. A block with a file is installed on the toe area, then the contours of the groove are outlined. You should visually find the depth of the groove. By carefully moving and pressing on the block, a funnel is created required size undercuts. At the end of sharpening, the runner is ground to remove burrs on the metal. for hockey they are sharpened with a radius from 8 to 15 mm, while - from 15 to 20 mm.

Drill or grinder

The selected device is fixed, a grinding wheel is installed on it, the thickness of which should be 1 mm less than the thickness of the groove in the runner. The products are held and sharpened from the toe to the heel. On your own, you can only do radius sharpening, although the ideal radius of the groove cannot be achieved.

Types of sharpening of hockey models

There are different types of sharpening skates for playing hockey:

1. Regular or radius. This type is characterized by processing the groove in a semicircle in inner side. The depth of the groove is individually adjustable, it is equipped with two sharp walls with a graduated radius between them.
2. Original Z. This type also has a groove as in standard way, but also additional with a channel square shape in the middle of the gutter. It is distinguished by its own sequence of proportionality, where the depth is from 0.8 to 2 mm. The Z channel varies in width by S, L, M.
3. Sharpening FBV. This is the most old look skate processing, which originated in Canada. This technique is used by many teams in the NHL hockey league. Professional sharpening has an excellent index useful action, characterized by good adhesion of equipment to the ice surface with minimal effort.

How to sharpen hockey skates correctly

Before sharpening, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of the procedure:

1. The sharpness of the edge and the depth of the groove depend on the style of ice skating and the quality of the surface. With a smooth rink and aggressive skating with sharp turns, which is typical for hockey players, the edge becomes sharper and the groove deeper - from 1.2 to 2.5 mm. This type of processing requires a thinner file, approximately 4 mm in diameter.
2. If you have to deal with more time uneven ice and the riding style is softer, then the groove is made 1-1.5 mm, and small holes are left on the edges between the edge and the groove. The file should be slightly larger than in the first option.
3. Also, the deep groove and sharp edges are indispensable when skating under a kite.
4. It is recommended to sharpen the sled not as for skates, but for iceboards, where the processing is carried out completely differently. This will provide the longest edge length for better contact with a skating rink.
5. You should not walk in skates on stone, earthen or any other hard surface. Sharp and thin edges are easy to damage. If work hardening appears on this part of the boots, it is necessary to get rid of them using a file with fine-tuning.
6. Sharpening creates an internal and external edge, preventing the skates from falling to the side. Otherwise, the player will easily lose balance and will not be able to push off normally.

Who should I contact to sharpen my skates?

For smooth movement and long service life, sharpen by a professional. A sharp blade is of utmost importance to hockey players. Self-growing in most cases has a negative impact on appearance boot and its functionality. It is better to contact trusted companies to avoid sharpening mistakes that beginners make.

Where is it better to sharpen skates: at home or at a professional?

You can sharpen it in two ways:

• independently in ;
• contact a professional who uses a special sharpening machine.

A specialist will cost more, but a hockey player should not have any problems.

The most common mistakes when sharpening skates

If you don’t want to rely on someone, you can sharpen the equipment yourself. It is not recommended to carry out the treatment yourself if you have not had practice before. When sharpening, the following mistakes are often made:

1. Different cutting edge heights. This problem causes imbalance in the skating rink. Only a specialist with the necessary measuring instruments can discern the difference.
2. Large groove depth. With such an error, the player crashes harder into the ice surface and has to put a lot of effort into gaining speed. At high-quality processing grooves, you can immediately get on the ice and skate, rather than unrolling your sports equipment for another week.
3. The steel was removed incorrectly in different areas of the boot. If there is more steel removed on the toe or heel, then an imbalance will be felt and skating becomes dangerous. This mistake sometimes causes the blade to overheat, increasing the risk of warping and falling.

Gutter table

The depth of the groove depends on the game and skating style of the hockey player. There is a table to help you choose how to process your boots:

Player weight in kg	Beginner (groove depth in mm)		Amateur (groove depth in mm)		Aggressive skating (groove depth in mm)
	Defender	Attack	Defender	Attack	Defender	Attack
Up to 30	9-12	9-12	10-12	11-13	11-13	12-14
30-50	10-12	10-12	11-13	12-14	12-14	13-16
50-70	11-12	11-12	12-14	13-15	13-15	14-17
70-90	12-13	12-13	15-20	17-30	14-17	15-20
90-110	13-15	13-15	14-16	15-18	15-20	17-25
Above 110	14-16	14-16	15-18	16-20	18-25	20-30

Proper sharpening of skates plays a big role, because the entire game takes place on an ice rink and the safety of hockey players should come first.

Proper sharpening of skates is very important, especially for those who professionally engage in winter sports. And for others it will be very interesting and informative, because you will agree that riding on a well-sharpened blade is much more pleasant than “crawling” on worn-out ones. How to sharpen skates at home? Let's look at this issue together.

How to sharpen skates correctly: is it accessible to everyone?

Many people who buy new skates make the same common mistake. They are sure that in this case, sharpening them is not necessary. New Product- this does not mean that it is ideal for you, because the contours of the blades that come by default from the factory are not for everyone. It’s even better to say it differently: they will suit just a few.

Fortunately, no one is stopping us from making what we need from the blade profile ourselves.

One of the questions that amateurs or beginners ask is why do you need to sharpen your skates at all? There are several reasons for this:

1. You get more pleasure from driving on ice and feel more confident;
2. With a well-sharpened blade, the balance is better controlled;
3. It is much easier to carry out accelerations and other maneuvers, for example, rotations;
4. And, of course, sliding. It's better.

When buying skates, forget that leather skates supposedly have better quality blades than other types. It is a myth.

How to sharpen skates at home

If you think this is simple task- you are deeply mistaken. Typically, athletes only turn to professionals to do the work of balancing and sharpening their blades. After all, the slightest mistake in this - and it’s all gone. The skater or figure skater will lose balance, the blade will overheat, and will not be able to hold on to the turn. The result is painful injuries and falls. So, if you are going to go in for sports seriously, you only need skilled craftsman, who knows a hundred different nuances and will do what you need. Well, if you like to ride, then there is nothing wrong with doing this procedure yourself. The main thing is desire, hands and tools.

So, in order to sharpen skates ourselves without special tools, we need:

1. A vice that will allow you to clamp the skates with the blade up. Without this, you will have a hard time and you will definitely not be able to get the expected result;
2. A small thin round file, otherwise called a needle file, the diameter of which will be equal to the thickness of the ridge. We will need it to make the groove of the blade smooth;
3. And lastly, you need to make some kind of device from a block of wood. To do this, we cut a longitudinal hole identical to the width of the skate blade and in depth to the height of the blade. Towards the very depth, the groove must be widened enough for the file to fit into it.

The process itself is not difficult, but it requires perseverance and care.

Let us describe in order what and how to do:

As you can see from the photo, there are notches left. This is not scary and this always happens, even if a special machine is used. Later they are removed.

Final sharpening of skates, finishing of the blade

Naturally, you shouldn’t quit your job halfway. The worst is already over, all that remains is to “polish” the result a little.

To do this we need a regular file (thinner), which needs to be wrapped sandpaper. By the way, the one you used when making the recess will also work. Remove all the notches, but be careful not to touch the edges.

That's all. As they say, the devil is not as scary as he is painted. Ride to your health and get a double dose of fun. And if you want more clarity, watch the video:

Instructions

After this, using a round file with a diameter of approximately ten millimeters, you must manually remove correct form grooves, while simultaneously sharpening the edges. The gutter is designed with the expectation that its depth should be no more than 0.5-0.6 millimeters. It is equally important that the gutter does not tilt in any direction. In order to control this, it is necessary to lay a flat (necessarily level) surface across it. It must be completely perpendicular to the blade (deviation no more than 3 degrees). After completing this procedure, you need to use a fine-grained stone to remove the burrs.

Some sharpen skates without a groove. This method is much easier. To sharpen skates without a groove (or, as they also call them, grooves), you also need to have emery or a file (in the case of a file, you will have to put in quite a lot of effort). Moreover, both in the method described above and in this method, you need to pay attention to the fact that the instrumental hardness of the file steel is higher than the hardness of the alloy from which the blade is made. Having secured the skates, you need to start sharpening. The principle of sharpening is simple - you need to sharpen the sole of the blade at a right angle to its side walls.

Instructions

You need to sharpen more than just a dull blade. First of all, a new one, just purchased, needs improvement. It is believed that the factory blade is already sharpened optimally and is suitable for any player, but for an experienced player it is obvious that it needs some work. Proper sharpening will help create a profile that is ideal for a particular player. Moreover, the profile must be changed during the learning process, guided by individual needs.

A properly sharpened skate should have a small blade at the base that will form two distinct edges of the skate. It is these ribs that allow you to make the correct push, so sharpening hockey blades essentially comes down to restoring the groove on the blade. The main thing is to give it to your hands, since the depth of the groove, the level of the ribs, the ratio of the radii of the groove and the profile - all this affects the quality of skating.

It is also not recommended to sharpen yourself, since without good equipment it will be difficult to comply with the necessary ones, which will lead to an imbalance on the ice. After sharpening the skate, you need to inspect it and, if necessary, sharpen the blades yourself. To do this, you need to burr the blade using a diamond abrasive stone, polish the microparticles using a polishing stone and give the edges the desired shape using a rough finishing stone. These manipulations will provide the skate with ideal grip, especially if, after finishing, you lubricate the blade with a special oil that reduces friction. Now you can test the new blade during the next one.

The main thing is to monitor the condition of the skates, and as soon as slippage or imbalance is felt, go back to sharpening. At intensive training it makes sense to sharpen skates once every 2-3.

Every owner skates Anyone who wants to learn how to skate easily and beautifully must constantly take care that their skates are well sharpened. Moreover, it doesn’t matter at all whether you play hockey, professionally engage in figure skating, or are just interested in ordinary amateur skating.

Instructions

If you decide to skip the groove, get a knife sharpener. Sharpen the blade while holding it perpendicular. Use sandpaper to remove the shavings. The second option - with a groove - is more difficult to implement. To do this, use a grinding wheel or guide plate to create a recess along the entire length of the blade that is even in width and located exactly in the center.

Then use a round file to deepen the groove and give it the correct shape. In some cases, one file is enough if the groove is not completely worn out. Make sure that the edges of the blade are the same. The depth of the groove may vary depending on the type of skate. On curly ones, as a rule, there is a recess with a radius of 11 to 15 millimeters; they have a deeper but narrower groove. When the notch is ready, remove burrs from the blade with a fine-grained stone. Sharpen the second skate in the same way, trying to make a groove of the same shape and depth.

Cross-country skates are sharpened on special machines. The pair is attached parallel to each other and with the blades facing up. A wide block passes over them to create a smooth edge, after which a thin block polishes the surface of the blade to an ideal state. There should be no grooves on such skates.

Video on the topic

Sources:

• Skate sharpening

Good skates– this is one of the main components of your success at the skating rink. The boots should firmly support the ankle joint, the skates should not rub or be too big and, of course, the blade should be sharpened.

You will need

• - sharpener;
• - diamond abrasive stone;
• - polishing stone;
• - finishing stone;
• - oil that reduces friction;
• - file;
• - "Blade Doctor".

Instructions

To determine if your skates are sharp enough, run the cutting edge along your nail. If the blade has made a “scraping” from the nail, then everything is in order. If not, the skates need to be sharpened.

If it is not possible to give your skates to a master, you can sharpen them yourself, just by slightly upgrading the sandpaper. The stone should be 15–20 centimeters in diameter and half a centimeter to a centimeter wide.

Place the stop on the sharpener so that the center of the blade is exactly in the middle of the circle.

When sharpening, the skate should be guided from top to bottom. The pressure should be light. Make sure that the center of the skate does not fall through. You can check this by placing the shoe on a horizontal surface.

After you have sharpened your skates, you need to remove the burrs. This can be done using a diamond abrasive stone, or using a special polishing stone. You can also use a rough finishing stone to polish your skates. If you choose this method, after sharpening, lubricate your skates with oil, which reduces the friction between the blade and the ice.

There is a groove on the blade of the skate - a slight concave depression, difficult to notice with the naked eye. It provides the skater with faster gliding and less friction between the blade and the ice. If you sharpen your skates incorrectly, the blade can become completely flat. However, many non-professionals sharpen skates with a regular file and without grooves. If you are an amateur who only occasionally goes to the rink, sharpen your skates by holding the file at a right angle to the side of the boot blade.

Foreign online stores offered for skate lovers special devices for sharpening the blade. For example, one of them is called “Blade Doctor”. If you have an international payment card, you can purchase this device. It should be used after every two rides. Turn the boot over, install the Blade Doctor on the blade of the skate and move it up and down 10-15 times. This will help you keep your skates in good condition During a long time.

In order to get the most out of skating, it is not enough that the skates fit perfectly on your feet; the blades are equally important. If you learn how to sharpen skates at home and do it yourself, you will give yourself the opportunity to have fun and experience all the benefits of skating on sharp blades. Sharpening skates at home does not involve anything complicated; it is enough to have a few simple tools on hand.

Why you need to learn how to sharpen skates

The condition of the blades will determine how you slide on the ice, whether you can accelerate, brake at the right moment, and perform some elements. If you learn how to sharpen skates at home, you will be able to carry out this procedure at any time convenient for you, while saving money. The first sign of the need for the procedure will be a loss of speed, a feeling of slipping or problems with braking. Pay attention to any damage to the surface of the blades before sharpening your skates at home. If your skates are missing a groove, you will need to become thoroughly familiar with how to sharpen your skates and do so regularly. If you have any difficulties with how to sharpen skates at home, video lessons will help answer all your questions.

How to sharpen skates at home

Before you sharpen your skates at home, you will need to prepare several important tools. To avoid difficulties with how to sharpen skates, pay attention to the fact that the metal of the tools is harder than that of the blade. You will need:

• round file,
• emery,
• fine-grained sharpening stone,
• vice.

How to sharpen skates at home without a groove

This is one of the easiest sharpening options that does not require large quantity expended effort. Before sharpening skates without a groove, prepare a file or sandpaper. The first has the advantage of the hardness of the alloy, although it is more convenient and faster to use the second tool.

How to sharpen skates at home with a groove

This procedure can also be carried out using a special abrasive machine, which provides high precision sharpening. But for this method you will need to either purchase such a device, or remake one that is already available. If you need more clarity in order to understand this responsible and important procedure, watch the video lectures. Good luck and happy riding!

For fans of skating, whether playing hockey, speed running, downhill or dancing, it is important to take care of the condition of their equipment. Safety and comfort will depend on this. You can sharpen the product from professional sharpeners or, to save money, sharpen it yourself.

In order for ice skating to be masterful and reliable, it is important to have perfectly sharpened ones. Sharpening provides a degree of slip, the ability to brake and perform figure tricks. Therefore, you should know about it at home.

You can sharpen in two ways:

• with gutter;
• without gutter.

The existence of a gutter (groove) ensures comfort and correct movements on the ice.

How to sharpen products with a groove

To sharpen products with a groove, you should stock up on:

• emery;
• round file;
• a bar with a fine-grained base.

If the products have just been purchased, you need to form a groove with sandpaper, or make it deeper if the blades are very dull. To remove the gutter, use a file, the diameter of which will be 10 mm. It is important to monitor the depth of the gutter, which should reach a maximum of 0.6 mm. Do not allow the groove to fall to the sides. To avoid troubles, a flat surface is applied to the product. It is attached perpendicular to the position. Use a fine-grained block to remove burrs.

Using the machine

Purchasing a machine will allow you to sharpen it even while at home. This device can achieve good blade roughness. The main thing is to purchase a quality device with good characteristics and the purchase will justify itself, since the cost home sharpening will be less than workshop services.

Before carrying out manipulations, the back of the boot is placed towards the guide. The blade is pressed at an angle. Then the skate slowly rotates, heading downwards. It is important not to overdo it by pressing it into the circle.

The machine must be used carefully, using protective glasses, special clothing and gloves. The skate should be held so that it does not fly out and disturb its position when stitching. You need to monitor the operation of the circle - its rotation should be directed away from you, otherwise you cannot avoid sparks getting into your eyes. After the work on the machine is completed, the blade is treated with an abrasive stone to polish the surface.

Why do you need to sharpen?

One of the frequently asked questions among users is the question of the advisability of sharpening. Good sharpening is characterized by the following advantages:

1. The user is satisfied with the process of skating on ice; he feels comfortable and confident.
2. Properly sharpened products guarantee good balancing and slip control.
3. Well-sharpened ones accelerate faster and are more maneuverable on ice.
4. Gliding on sharpened skates will be easy and relaxed.

Sharpening is a rather labor-intensive process and requires certain knowledge and skills. Athletes should contact professional craftsmen, since the slightest inaccuracy can cause serious troubles, such as: loss of balance, overheating of the blade, falls. If you want to take up figure skating or hockey professionally, you should only contact professionals. If ice skating is just a hobby, you can learn the basics of sharpening and do it yourself.

When sharpening skates at home, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

1. To ensure reliable fixation of sports equipment, you need to buy a vice.
2. To create an even groove, you need to buy a round file. It is important that it has a small diameter.
3. Needed wooden block which you can do yourself. To get the necessary device, you should cut it in length, making a small hole that matches the width of the skate blade.

If you have everything necessary tools, you can handle sharpening yourself. The main thing is patience and attentiveness.

Common Mistakes

Often, people are mistaken in thinking that sharpening skates is a similar procedure kitchen knives. In this case, only a sharp edge is left, which leads to loss of stability on ice and a deterioration in the degree of adhesion to the surface, which is formed by the groove present on the blades.

If you are unsure of your abilities or when the user is still new to ice skating, it is better to turn to professional experts. After all, improper sharpening can lead to damage to the product. Skates are sharpened every 2 weeks.

Skates do not require special care. The main rules are to dry them after use, sharpen them on time and make sure that the blades do not become rusty. To do this you need a special skate sharpener. To sharpen them, it is not enough to use grinder, a U-shaped groove is machined into the blade.

Several reasons to regularly sharpen your skates:

• the athlete gains confidence and a sense of perseverance on the ice;
• well-sharpened blades help control balance on ice;
• sharp blades help perform rotations, accelerate and perform elements;
• sliding becomes smoother;
• A dull blade increases the risk of injury.

Devices and tools

Let's look at what tools there are for sharpening skates with your own hands:

1. Abrasive touchstone - slingshot for skates with plastic handle. On-line editing of blades. The tool removes burrs left after sharpening. The movements are carried out smoothly, without pressure, so as not to cut off the groove. To obtain best result, it is recommended to use lubricant or wet the blades running water. They only trim the blades, but do not sharpen them.
2. A whetstone is an abrasive material for straightening a blade after sharpening.
3. Edge Again is a handheld, portable skate sharpener.

What is the best way to sharpen?

Each equipment owner decides independently which device to use for sharpening skates. An at-home procedure or a manual skate sharpener will not replace a professional one, especially for serious sports.

Sharpening machines

The most popular machines for sharpening skates are nordway and ProSharp, they have been tested in practice. Instructions on how to use the Nordway machine:

1. Turn on the machine.
2. When the circle's motion becomes stationary, apply the blade to the circle, pointing it to the left, against the disc, along the edge.
3. Repeat the procedure three times, adjusting the shape of the edge.
4. Adjust the movement of the support bar as necessary.

If you have no experience with such devices, first try an experiment on an old pair.

Consumables

Additional components expand the capabilities of the machine:

• vices - they can be universal, for any pair, or they can be selected professional for specific type sports;
• diamond discs for sharpening equipment, they vary in color and diameter;
• adapters with larger diameter to a smaller one;
• diamond groove pencils;
• whetstones, for removing burrs.

Specifics

Sharpening skates has its own characteristics. Before the process, it is clarified where exactly the athlete will play - on an artificial or natural ice, weight category, riding style. When playing hockey, an important parameter is the place on the team as an attacker, goalkeeper or defender.

The depth of the groove is adjusted depending on the use of the equipment:

• in figure skating it reaches 5-6 mm;
• for hockey - 20mm;
• for speed skating - 45mm.

If burrs are found on the equipment, sharpening is not necessary.

Signs that equipment needs sharpening

How to understand that it’s time to sharpen your skates:

• there is no groove on the blade or it is covered with rust;
• when a turn is made, the blades move to the side;
• the runners slide during repulsion.

How to carry out the procedure at home

You will need:

1. A vice for clamping the dies, otherwise the skate will slip out.
2. A needle file is a round file. With its help, the groove becomes even.
3. A block with a hole the width of the blade.

How to sharpen:

1. Place the equipment horizontally, clamping it with a vice. Place a block with a file inside on top.
2. Use a file to make a hole. Move it sideways until the groove becomes noticeable.
3. Continue the procedure until a sharp edge appears.

Now sanding is done: wrap the file in sandpaper and run it along the blade without touching the edge.

Methods

There are two sharpening methods: straight and grooved. Skates go on sale straight sharpened. But in practice, this method does not justify itself. Although high speed is achieved and there is the possibility of sharp braking, maneuverability comes to naught.

Sharpening under the gutter develops the same speed as a straight line, makes movements maneuverable, but braking is difficult. It is preferred by hockey players and figure skating athletes.

FTB - sharpening. Used on European ice, is used infrequently in Russia. European matches take place on artificial ice, so the emphasis is not on speed, but on the grip of the blade with the coating.

How to distinguish sharpened equipment

Let's look at a few visual signs sharpened equipment. A sharpened pair of skates has a groove on the inside. Side ribs sharp and of equal thickness. Sports palaces will help you get the job done professionally.

Instructions for sharpening skates.

Quite a lot of ice palaces are being restored now. At the same time, parents strive to get their child interested in sports, so they send them to various sections and clubs. Nowadays it won’t surprise anyone that a child plays hockey or figure skating. In this article we will tell you how to sharpen your skates yourself.

Many people think that there is no need to sharpen new skates since they are already from the factory. This is not true, factory sharpening is suitable only for a few. Therefore, you will have to try. The most interesting thing is that athletes trust only a few with this work. These are sharpening professionals. After all, a small error can cause a fall when performing complex tricks.

Ways to sharpen skates:

• File
• Nadfilkom
• Bulgarian

Aliexpress sells special sharpeners for sharpening skates. It is worth noting that they are not the same and differ in sharpening methods. This is a V-shaped sharpening, which we rarely use. It is mainly used by American athletes. There are also machines for sharpening under the groove. This is exactly the option that is used in our country. The sharpeners look simple. This is a small object with a recess inside. The recess is the thickness of the blade. There is a bulge inside that will help make a groove. The main disadvantage of such a sharpener is the inability to adjust the depth of the groove.

How to buy a machine, device, tool for sharpening skates on Aliexpress?

Sharpening under the groove in our country is considered the most popular and in demand. A groove-like recess is made inside the blade. Thanks to this, skaters can perform complex pirouettes. This is due to the fact that most difficult tricks are performed on the inside or outside edge of the skates. The most interesting thing is that this groove differs in depth among people who exercise different types sports and have different weights. The more a person weighs, the deeper the groove should be. At the same time, the groove of an attacker in hockey should be deeper than that of a defender.

This question cannot be answered. This is due to the fact that new skates are sold straight sharpened. That is, there is no groove inside. This type of sharpening is suitable for few people. It allows you to develop enormous speed and brake quickly, but maneuverability is lost. That is, turns are more difficult to perform. Therefore, straight sharpening is more suitable for athletes who are involved in sports that involve straight and fast movement.

Skaters, especially hockey players, choose a groove grind. It allows you to develop a speed that is not as high as a straight line, but the skates are very maneuverable. This allows you to perform tricks, turns and spins. It is more difficult to brake on such skates.

For hockey players in our country, groove sharpening is used. But in Europe and the USA, other types of sharpening are also popular.

Types of sharpening for hockey players:

• Channel-Z It is becoming more popular in our country. Allows you to move more maneuverably on ice without losing speed. It looks like a depression with a small groove inside.
• Classic. This is a groove sharpening. It helps develop maneuverability, but “eats up” speed.
• FTB. This type of sharpening is used in Western countries NHL teams. This is due to the fact that they mostly perform on artificial ice. Therefore, the main grip and speed can be sacrificed. In profile it looks like two sharp blades with a straight platform inside.

For figure skating, sharpening is carried out under the groove. This can be done using a file or a grinding wheel.

Instructions:

• Take a file and a block of wood. Make a hole in the piece of wood and place a file in it
• Place the skate blade in the groove and move the block back and forth
• Continue working until there is a characteristic notch inside

They differ from other types of skates by having a longer blade, a larger radius of rounding of the blade, and most importantly, by the fact that these are the only skates with a movable blade. Yours official name The skates received the name "clap" for the characteristic sound - the clap that the blade makes when, after the athlete's push, the spring returns it back to the shoe.

Ice skating is one of the the most popular types sports However, over time, ride comfort can decrease significantly. This is due to the blade losing its original shape. The only way out is to sharpen it. If there is no desire (or opportunity) to contact a specialized service, you can do this work yourself.

A little about the specifics of sharpening

The main mistake beginners make is trying to make the blade as sharp as possible. This will lead to loss of stability and, as a result, possible injury. If you look closely at the end of the blade, you can see a groove. It actually forms 2 planes of contact with the ice surface. Under the influence of friction, the ice melts, forming a layer of water. It is this that promotes better gliding.

Skate Blade Configuration

The basics of skating at home are as follows.

1. After its completion, the blade configuration should be as close as possible to the original factory one.
2. No burrs or uneven thickness on each plane of the blade.
3. Availability of appropriate tools.

For reference, the depth of a figure skating groove is about 5-6 mm. This promotes better maneuverability, but affects stability. The deeper the groove, the easier it is to stay on the skates. For hockey models this parameter is usually 20 mm. Speed ​​skating has the deepest groove - up to 45 mm.

Methods

Blade sharpening comes down to restoration original sizes gutters. To do this, you can use manual or electric tool. In case of infrequent use of skates, you can limit yourself to a simple file mounted on a wooden block. But if skiing occurs frequently or there are several lovers of this winter sport in the house, it is recommended to use a power tool.

Needle file

The main tools you will need are a vice, a file (round) of the appropriate diameter and a wooden block. The latter has U-shape, into the groove of which a needle file is attached.

Manual sharpening

After securing the skate in a vice, you need to perform the following steps.

1. A block with a file is placed on the front part of the blade and the contours of the groove are outlined using a reverse movement. If sharpening has not been carried out for a long time, then the groove may be completely absent.
2. Having outlined the depth line, compare the sizes of future ribs. They must be completely identical in thickness.
3. With great effort, the recess is deepened until the desired value is reached.

The final stage is removing the burrs. This can be done using a fine-grained file or a flat file.

Grinding wheel

A grinding wheel is attached to a fixed grinder or drill, the thickness of which should be 0.5-1 mm less than the width of the groove. The ridge should be secured with clamps to a steel angle. Attention - its height must be adjusted.

Sharpening with a power tool

The contours of the recess are then manually drawn. Sharpening is done from the front of the blade. Thus, even if there are undetected burrs, they will not greatly affect the quality of sliding.

If your skates are properly sharpened, players can make significant progress in their ice skating skills! Sharpening takes a lot of time in the life of an ordinary hockey player, especially if visiting the rink occurs at least once a week. What are the benefits of high-quality skate sharpening? Faster and better gliding on ice, blade control, balance and maximum acceleration.

It would seem that you gave the skates to the master, answered a few questions that will help the specialist in sharpening, and you wait. But it will be much more useful if you yourself understand some of the nuances - this will help you determine exactly what is associated with your successes or shortcomings on ice (with high-quality sharpening or lack thereof), and also understand what you ultimately want to get from their skates on the ice.

1. “Ribs”, “groove” and other useful terms.

Sharpening is a very, very individual matter! However, like many other moments in hockey, be it the selection of a stick or laces for skates. To understand what the sharpening process consists of, let's look at the terms used by professionals and amateurs.

"Platform" or "Ribs". The area of ​​contact between the blade and the ice. It is important that the “platform” is the same on the right and left skate. Sharpening the blade area ALWAYS wears individual character. If you are a beginner, you can first master hockey ice using factory sharpening. Subsequently, you will understand what you are missing, start experimenting and sharpen the skates for yourself.
The length of the “platform” affects speed, stability, and maneuverability. Each athlete finds the optimal ratio for himself between the length of the “platform” and the depth of the trench.

The dimensional grid of the platforms starts at 30 mm and ends at 60 mm (gradation looks like this: 30 - 35 - 40 - 50 - 60 mm). The smallest platform is sharpened on small size skate, and the largest platform is sharpened to the most big size skate. In practice, platforms such as 40 mm and 50 mm are most often used, since it is inconvenient to ride on a large platform, because it creates discomfort when maneuvering. At the same time, there is no way to turn around quickly and in time or simply turn.

"Radius" or "Groove". A groove is machined into the blade along its length, which is necessary for lateral stability during maneuvers, braking, and repulsion. Allows you to increase your riding maneuverability. The average gutter is considered to be 12-15. Individual selection of gutter is carried out only experimentally. Usually they start trying with the middle one, and with each subsequent sharpening you can change the groove up or down. This is the only way to find your groove number and sharpen it with each new sharpening.

The blade itself can be divided into 3 conventional zones:

1. Toe - used for acceleration, jerking, and reverse skating.
2. The middle is the place that is used when sliding.
3. Heel - used for stopping, turning, and cross skating.

CLUE!

ATTENTION:

You have to be careful when sharpening the ribs - you can’t return what you cut. But, of course, you can change the blades if you skate with a removable blade. Some masters like to “remove more to get a better start.” Is this phrase familiar? Then be vigilant and sharpen your skates strictly to suit your needs.

2. Types of skate sharpening

• Standard skate sharpening. This is when the groove of the blade is sharpened in a semicircle inward. Has a rounded channel. The groove has two sharp walls and a radius between them with a gradation from 6 to 40 mm. The depth of the groove is selected individually, you have already learned about this above.
• "Channel-Z". The uniqueness of this sharpening is determined by the fact that it also has a groove, as in the first version, as well as another groove with a square channel - in the middle of a regular groove. The Channel-Z channel (hereinafter we will call it the “Z” channel or “Z-sharpening”) has its own gradation of proportionality. Its depth varies from 0.8 to 1.6 mm, as well as the width of the channel. The Z-channel has three widths: S, M, L. Read more about Z-sharpening below.
• Sharpening "FBV"- a very old Canadian development, used for more than 25 years. Its essence is that an unconventional sharpening “radius” is used, due to which the groove is not shaped like a semicircle, but trapezoidal. Many teams in the NHL use it. Most players really like it. There are, of course, negative reviews, which once again confirms the rule of individual sharpening. This type of sharpening does not last long, but it has a good efficiency.

CLUE:

Efficiency is determined as follows: good rolling + good grip on ice + minimum costs strength

Now let's take a closer look at each type of sharpening.

1. Standard sharpening used most often by beginners. At the very beginning, it is important to “feel” the skates and ice, and only then hone your skills with the help of sharpening.
This method is the most common and time-tested. Its reliability is not even discussed. The main thing here is that the depth of the groove corresponds to the weight and some other specific properties of the athlete. Properties are defined like this:

• Before sharpening, the master determines where the person will ride: on hard ice an outdoor skating rink or on the artificial ice of an indoor ice rink.
• If a person plays hockey, then his role is determined, i.e. locations in the game: on offense or defense.
• The player's weight is specified. This is one of the main questions when selecting a groove.
• Also, the master must determine what area of ​​​​contact with ice on this moment. Based on these data, a groove is selected.
• The groove consists of the tip of two walls. These walls should be equal after sharpening. If one of the walls is lower than the other, then you will fall in the direction with the lower wall. After sharpening, always carefully check the blades for burrs.

2. FBV or Flat Bottom "V"- this type of sharpening is sharpened on American machines from BLACKSTONE and BLADEMASTER. There is a lot about this sharpening different opinions, both positive and negative.

PLUS - a kind of groove. If a standard sharpening has a groove that has a rounded channel in the form of a semicircle, then in this case the FBV sharpening has a trapezoidal channel of the groove - when a channel is sharpened from the inner plane of the groove to the walls of the blade along a trapezoid. And here’s an immediate advantage: this shape of the groove promotes rigid adhesion of the blade to the ice and significantly increases stability. When the blade bites into the ice, the FBV sharpening reduces the area of ​​contact between the blade and the ice. Big square contact always increases the friction load, and this is bad. In addition, not every city has a machine that allows you to sharpen skates using this method.
The MINUS of this sharpening is its fragility. The fragility lies in the thin trapezoidal walls that cannot withstand the hard surface of the ice. With a slight impact of the blade on any surface that is harder than ice (plastic or metal), the edges of the walls become clogged. This leads to chipping or roughness. Overall, this sharpening is better than the standard one, but worse than Channel-Z.

The problem of blade chipping is easy to avoid if you do not run out from the ice onto a walking surface without covers. But the sensations from interacting with ice will be obvious!

When selecting groove sizes, it is also important to take into account the player’s properties.

where 90mm and 100mm are the length of the upper base of the trapezoid,
50mm and 75mm - the length of the sides of the trapezoid.

3. Channel-Z. Again, this is a unique sharpening. It solves the problem of “slipping” on ice and has a number of, in our opinion, remarkable characteristics. You will remember from the picture above that the groove on this sharpener has a standard round groove and a square channel inside the standard groove.

The Channel-Z groove, just like the standard groove, is selected according to all the properties that were indicated earlier, but with the lowest coefficient, that is, with less numerical value. To make it convenient to compare this type of sharpening with the FBV method, we will also highlight the pros and cons.
PLUS. The Z channel, which is located inside the groove, increases skating maneuverability and immediately responds to the player’s impulses when he wants to sharply turn, push off, or perform another maneuver. This type of sharpening works 100% when you start moving.
PLUS. In passive rolling, the Z-grind also reduces drag. This happens due to the cut out Z-channel, which increases the “tenacity” with ice and further reduces resistance. This means that the momentum is acquired.
PLUS. A void remains in the Z-channel (“internal additional groove”), which is filled with water from melting ice during friction with the blade. This melted water provides additional lubrication during skating, thereby increasing speed during acceleration.

There were three pluses, and one minus:
Price. This type of sharpening is much more difficult to sharpen, requiring a lot of time and resources, such as a sharpening wheel mounted in the machine and a diamond that drives the stone, cutting the corners of the stone in a cascade, thereby giving a double flute. This explains the price of sharpening.

Sharpening Channel - Z has three options: S, M, L. “S” is the narrowest channel, “M” is the middle one, and “L” is, accordingly, the widest.

And finally, a few words about the hardness of the blade. The harder the blade material, the higher its quality, and the less often the skates need to be sharpened. And in order for the sharpening to last longer, it is necessary to take care of the blades, otherwise they will very quickly rust, become corroded and become unusable.

To avoid this and keep your blades in top condition at all times, wipe your skate blades dry after each skate, and wear protective covers over your blades when not on ice. These simple steps will increase the service life of your skates significantly.